1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a system for spraying mist on a refrigeration system condenser coil and more particularly to a system that is simple and inexpensive to operate.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
The use of mist spray devices to improve the efficiency of air conditioning systems has been proposed by those routineers and observers of the art for some time. The practice has apparently proved to accomplish some objective in that the prior art is replete with suggestions on how to include a mist spray system with a conventional closed air conditioning system. In practice, the systems fail to appear in the market place despite the apparent need for more efficiency and lower operating costs.
Examples of U.S. Patents that disclose systems for spraying a mist into the condenser coil of an air conditioning system include two patents granted to Faxon, U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,117 issued Oct. 9, 1979 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,265 issued Dec. 23, 1980. The two disclosures show a spray nozzle (18) located some distance from a condenser 12 and suspended by a wire arrangement. A temperature sensor (60) feeds back to an electrical switch (48) which controls a water flow valve (40). When the temperature in the condenser reaches a predetermined point the switch is activated opening the valve and allowing the water to spray into the coils of the condenser. Another U.S. Patent describing a coil cooling apparatus has been granted to Fought, U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,644 issued on Jun. 2, 1992. This system is of a conventional spray mist type but is controlled by a vibration transducer that senses the vibration of the condenser as it operates and accordingly switches the cooling water on. This system is electrical and suggests the use of battery power for backup. U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,747 issued May 17, 1994 to Pringle et al. describes a water-assisted condenser cooler or the type described that uses a normally closed poppet valve for controlling the flow of water. Proximate to the valve stem is a temperature sensing bellows that expands as the temperature of the cooling air rises and urges the valve stem into the open position allowing cooling water to cool the coils in a conventional manner.
The prior art taken alone or in combination fails to anticipate the improved system for a mist spray system for condenser coils.